An Apprentice In Autumn
by jdav
Summary: A first person narrative by a King of Doriath. Eöl comes to Thingol's court to seek an apprenticeship with a kinsman. A bored, idle Thingol takes the young craftsman under his wing and what ensues is a memorable autumn. The Song of Sunset AU.


Summary: A first person narrative by a King of Doriath. Eöl comes to Thingol's court to seek an apprenticeship with a kinsman. A bored, idle Thingol takes the young craftsman under his wing and what ensues is a memorable autumn. The story is set in The Song of Sunset AU. Contains a homosexual relationship. Thingol's narrative, 1st person.

* * *

He walked briskly, his huntsman's boots resounding in the corridor sharply. I found myself watching his no-nonsense gait, his darkly handsome features haloed by plaits of waist-length golden hair. His scabbard was empty, as was the custom of all except the palace guard. And I knew that he was not one from the court. So he was presumably new to the place.

He seemed to notice my blatant staring, for he turned to face me, an offended expression on his handsome features as he asked, "Have you little else to do that you stare at passers-by?"

I was welcome to a conversation. The Valar know, I do have little else to occupy my attention these long, boring autumnal days. I hated autumn, there was little to be done.

Indolently, I leant back against the statue I had been standing next to and smirked at him. Close to, I could see the naïve youthfulness in his eyes. He was very young.

He bristled at my actions and said quietly, "It is not seemly, My Lord, to make light your idleness by cruel amusement at others' expense."

He would not last much in the court, I was certain. Too easily hurt by others, this young handsome stranger.

"Are you new to the palace?" I asked amusedly as he began fidgeting, shuffling from one foot to the other.

"Yes", he admitted, sudden insecurity flashing in his blue eyes, "I have little notion of where to seek my kinsman. I am to train under him as an apprentice."

After a little cajoling, I was able to extricate his kinsman's name. I sighed, how could I tell the naïve youth that his kin was dead?

"I will teach you myself", I said reassuringly as his face fell when I lied saying that I did not know his kinsman, "I have some passing knowledge of the forge and the smithy. As well as the basics of swordsmanship which every soul should know in these times."

"You?" he took a step backwards indignantly, "How in Eru's name shall I trust a stranger with my apprenticeship?

A couple of servants crossed us wishing me, "Good day, Sire."

"SIRE?" he exclaimed aghast, "I beg your pardon", he cringed as he knelt before me penitently, "I did not know, My King!"

"Do I look that bad for a King?" I asked him amusedly as I waved his apologies away and helped him to his feet.

"I think you are too lively for a king", he stammered, colour rising high in his cheeks as he realized his brashness again.

I was flattered, deeply so. Lively, I have never been called thus. Somehow it seemed more pleasing to my ears than being called wise or valiant.

Before he could start apologizing again, I cut in, "It is good to know that I am still considered lively at my great age, my friend. Now, if you would grace me with a name?"

"Eöl", he bowed, still distraught by the great breach in protocol, "Eöl, My Lord."

* * *

We had a pleasant routine which we grew into over time. I felt younger than I ever had felt in my life as I spent time with him; his youthful zest to learn and work crept into my veins too. I found myself eagerly joining hunts because he was part of them. I found myself sitting beside campfires just to see his sinuous, young form dance in tune with the drum beats.

Parts of me long foregone were stirred whenever I looked into his blue eyes, aglow with life and light. When his hands, warmed by the forge heat accidentally brushed against me, I could not help the shudder of tension that crept through my limbs.

He was fresh, as fresh as the woods I ruled, as fresh as my daughter's smile…

* * *

"Your stare lingers on him much too often", her voice broke in on my thoughts as I contemplated the youth standing in the gardens.

My wife is Maia. I cannot hide much from her. She is older than me, wiser than me, and ultimately, more powerful than me. Perhaps that is why I find Eöl so intriguing. He is so young, and eager to learn from me. It was good to be treated as if I was the superior in the relationship.

"Are you coaxing me into infidelity?" I laughed as I turned to face her.

Her serene grey eyes were distant as she replied, "We united, as was the will of Eru. And we have a daughter…whose path I shall regret. I grow weary of these lands, Elwe, and I cannot stay much longer. But the stormclouds cross the sea as we speak, and little respite shall we have from their rain. Make your sunshine while there is yet time."

Her words have never made much sense to me. And I presume that it is the fault of her wisdom than a failing of my intellect.

We had been mutual confidants. We had shared a dream of forming a kingdom away from Valinor. We had seen our vision blossom. It was a pity that there was nothing else to tie us together. When the caprice struck her, she would come to me, and we would spend fiery nights in bed. Yet there had been no words of love.

Often there were apprentices with whom she shared intimacies. And there were many a warrior with whom I shared my body. We never spoke of it. Aberrations to our routine of centuries, these were.

Right then, her talk of leaving worried me. And the stormclouds did not much ease my imagination. I hoped that they were just what she said they were, merely stormclouds. But her metaphorical language made it unlikely.

But Eöl, I stared at him again, he was different. He set my veins on fire.

* * *

"You have been avoiding me, My Lord", he exclaimed as he jumped into the path I had been walking along, "I searched for you everywhere."

"Not everywhere", I smiled at his disheveled state, "Apparently you missed somewhere since I could not have been nowhere."

He frowned at my word-play before huffing and falling into step beside me as he began, "There is a wonderful gift that I have to give you. When is the next occasion? Wedding anniversary? Founding the realm?"

I could not help my indulgent smile as he drove on excitedly, his arms gesticulating as he spoke, "I hope that you will accept it, My Lord, and find it pleasing?"

"Give it now", I said gently, "There is no occasion that you have to wait for, instead let us make this an occasion in itself."

"My Lord!" he exclaimed, "I do not think that I am worthy of such an honour!"

"I am sure that you are", I clasped his wrist reassuringly, "Now, may I please have my gift?" I fluttered my eyelashes rather abominably, the way my daughter practiced before her mirror every morning.

He looked stricken by my gesture and shook his head to clear it before saying in a rasp, "I will do so."

He knelt before me, and bowed, taking a neatly wrapped package into his hands as he extended them towards me.

"My Lord", he murmured as his blue eyes looked up into mine, "The first sword I forged."

"I am honoured", I knelt down so that we were face-to-face, and I took the sword from him, brushing my fingers against his callused ones.

He shivered before calming himself with a strenuous effort. I clasped his fingers tightly watching the throbbing of the veins in his throat. Overcome, I bent forward to press a kiss to his jugular vein. He exclaimed in surprise as his hands gripped my waist for reassurance.

I have vague memories of whispering inane nothings as I slowly slid him down onto the autumn forest floor, sweeping away the carpet of fallen blossoms. I laugh as I remember how I used to chasten my daughter when she wasted time in flirting with the young warriors; I had never realized that her actions would one day guide me in this endeavour.

"My Lord", he whispered.

"Elu", I murmured, "Is it so hard to call me thus?"

"You have earned your title", he said gravely, as his hands tugged at my hair, pulling it away from its loose confining braids.

His lack of self-esteem worried me, but I resolved to change things. Right then, I had pressing matters to attend to. Really I do mean literally, for something was pressing hard against my form as I lay atop him, kissing him thoroughly.

He was surprised and bewildered when I tried to insinuate my tongue into his closed mouth, but he seemed to understand as he parted his lips, allowing me entry. His fingers gripped my hair as he tried to pull me closer, his callused fingertips brushing my ears causing an immensely sensual reaction.

"You liked it?" his words were matter-of-fact as he brushed my eartips again, causing a delighted moan to leave my parted lips.

"I think you found that out by yourself", I breathed as I craned my neck to give him access to kiss my neck.

"Where do we go from here?" his words caught me off-balance, I swallowed my desire and tried to put a casual tone to my words.

"I would not dream of assuming that you cared to go anywhere from here. I instigated this", I bit my lower lip to take my awareness away from the pooling of blood somewhere to the south, "And I shall apologize if I harmed you."

"I meant", he pulled me back for a deeply satisfying kiss, "I meant to ask you where we would continue this? Are the woods safe enough?"

"They are", I laughed in delighted amazement, "As long as the rest of our guards do not resort to these wild pastimes."

He joined me in my laughter, his uninhibited clear voice filling holes in my heart that I had never known to exist.

"We can continue", I breathed as I fondled his ears, "The woods are discreet, and most loyal to their king."

"Even when the said king is going to take his pleasure from a poor wood-elf?" his eyes were filled with mirth.

Though he was jesting, I frowned at his lack of self-esteem. Perhaps this was a chance to improve his self-esteem. My wife holds to the adage that no teaching method is as efficient as sex. And I have never had a reason yet to ever think twice before following her advice.

"I had a different plan in mind", I remarked as I continued my lazy stroking, "It involved a captive king and a lusty gaoler."

"Ah!" he murmured as he stared into my eyes, sudden nervous confidence rising in those blue pools, "I would be honoured to."

"Then render me captive", I laughed, "And use me well."

* * *

He proved a most industrious apprentice in the matter. It was blissful, to a degree that none of my prior couplings had reached. His youthful desire, his untamed urges and strong handling of my body left me in little doubt that I would not even dream of hunting for days. I remember screaming his name over and over again, before limply collapsing on the forest ground, with him atop me.

There had been no preparation, there had been no easing of passage. I was a fool, this had been his first time and he could not have known.

But there was a lazy sense of self-attainment in his blue eyes as he gazed at me, all the while smoothing my thoroughly mussed-up hair that I felt the sharp initial pain of breaching was more than worth it. I felt satisfied, as I have rarely done before in life.

"Is the gaoler allowed to turn the knight and then spirit away the King from the prison?" he asked with a tentative smile, the brash, yet unsure smile of our youth.

"I suppose that the King is entirely at the gaoler's mercy", I kissed the corner of his lips languidly, "Quite at his mercy. If the gaoler turns knight, the king shall be indebted indeed."

"Is the knight allowed to declare his regard for the King?" he asked uncertainly, shadows rising in his blue eyes.

We stared at each other, the only sounds in the glade that of the birds and the swishing of the fruit-laden tree branches. One of his fingers curled possessively in my hair, and I felt at peace. I felt at home. I, who had built a palace out of stone and ruled for centuries alongside my wife, I felt at peace in the arms of a young craftsman under the autumn skies. If I had known that life could turn so green and rich by such a simple act, I would not have sought name and fame at all.

Why had this autumn not come sooner? Why had he not come sooner? I would be a fool indeed to think twice about this magnificent peace I could claim now.

"The King gives the Knight the right to the spoils of the valiant victory", I smiled in happy surrender.

* * *

References:

The Journal of Fingolfin.

The Outcast.

* * *


End file.
